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| One of two American
Avocets observed at Boiling Pond, White County, Tennessee, 28 July 2007; photo SJS. |
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Vintage
BIRDFOLK Messages (Fall
2007)
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-42 (19
november)
Dear
birdfolk,
The
fall season saw another productive week pass into history since the last
message went out. Hope you were able to get in a little birding time.
A
nice bird I failed to acknowledge in the last message was the season's first
Rough-legged Hawk, a bird of the light morph found near Cooley's Pond in Wayne
Co., KY, Nov. 10 by Roseanna Denton. It tied the early fall arrival
date for the Region and perhaps indicated that an irruption winter for this
raptor is underway, an event that has not happened in the Region in about 30
years, to judge from the array of about 48 records that have accumulated
around the Region during the past 50 years. Look for this rare raptor
in, around, and over large, weedy fields, and be alert for its
distinctive habit of hovering (much in the fashion of a kestrel) while
hunting; it also likes to perch about 10 to 15 feet high in very small trees
in such fields while it searches for a meal.
Sandhill
crane sightings have picked up lately, with many reports coming in during the
period of Nov. 16-18, most of these from Cumberland Co., TN. The crane
migration corridor seems to be fairly narrow and focused on Cumberland County
so far this fall.
The
annual migration trek of ultralight-led Whooping Cranes is now in Indiana and
headed our way sometime fairly soon. You can keep track of the progress
of this year's training flight via the internet. It usually passes
through Cumberland Co., TN, so keep yourself up to date if you want a chance
to see them this year.
Rusty
Blackbirds have been seen in a few counties lately, including Cumberland and
Putnam, TN; please report any and all sightings of this icterid.
A
gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl was found in Pulaski Co., KY, by Connie and
Wendell Neeley Nov. 17; this is just the 6th gray morph individual (out of 38
total) to be reported in the past 3 years. Many thanks to Connie and
Wendell for contributing this vital bit of data to the Screech-Owl Morph
Project in the Region. If you find road-killed EASOs anywhere within the
Region, please report the morph (rufous, gray, or brown) along with the date
and site of the road-kill; if you can take a photo of the bird, so much the
better.
With
great pleasure I can report that the plans to fill in the marsh at the
Cookeville-White County Airport seem to have been halted; the latest plans
for the airport expansion and renovation do not include the filling in of this
7-acre wetland, a major step forward for the preservation of rare habitat in
the Region. Plans to fill in the marsh are probably still in the minds
of some airport supporters, but I hope that these plans can be suppressed for
the remainder of my lifetime. Many thanks to all of those who took part in the
effort to retain the marsh. Its importance was stressed to me again Nov.
10 when Ed LeGrand and I made a quick visit to the airport marsh and to about
10 ponds in the surrounding area; all the ponds were very low or dried up
completely, but the water level in the airport marsh remained normal, a
testament to its importance to the local wetland wildlife.
I
have probably not given due attention in the past to the important habitat
preservation work that is being done in Tennessee, especially on the
Cumberland Plateau, by the Tennessee Parks and Greenways Foundation.
TPGF has been active in the preservation of a number of important birding
sites in the past decade. Two of these sites include several
hundred acres on the top of Black Mountain in Cumberland Co., TN, and 300
acres of the Cumberland Trail along the top of Brady Mountain, also in
Cumberland Co., TN. Recently, the TPGF has purchased another fine
birding site in Cumberland Co., TN--Devilstep Cave and Head of the
Sequatchie, a 400-acre site in southern Cumberland County that is of
great geological significance, as well as being a fine site for wildlife
viewing. TPGF was also responsible for acquiring by donation the Merle
Osborn Preserve in Putnam Co., TN. If you are into making donations for
the preservation of wildlife habitat, please consider the TPGF in your donation
plans. Of course, throughout TN and KY, the Nature Conservancy is also
an important organization to consider when you have funds you can donate for
habitat acquisition.
The
penultimate birdwalk of the fall season will take place at the Merle
Osborn Nature Preserve in Putnam Co., TN, this Wednesday and the last birdwalk
of the fall on the Wednesday following. Thereafter birdwalks in Putnam
County will be suspended until the end of January 2008, so if you have not had
a chance to visit the Osborn Preserve, this Wed. or next will provide
opportunities in conjunction with birdwalks.
Christmas
Bird Count plans are well under way at five sites in the Region; hope the same
is true for the four sites where dates for the conducting of the CBCs are not
yet available. These include Clay Co., TN; Glasgow, KY; Warren Co., TN;
and Wayne Co., KY. Send along dates and other info when you know them.
Good
bird counting, Steve
BIRDFOLK
messages are shared with those Upper Cumberland Region birders who share
their bird sightings with me, either directly or indirectly. The
minimal sharing threshold is one bird record per month (note: a bird record
always contains the name of a specific species, the number seen, the date
seen, the site where seen, and the name of the observer). BIRDFOLK
messages are archived at a page of my website that is accessible via the
birdpage:
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-41 (12
november)
Dear
birdfolk,
Another
productive week of birding has passed into history with some nice sightings
being made. Chief among these was probably the Lapland Longspur that Ed
LeGrand found up at the Univ. of Tennessee Experimental Agriculture Station
(unit on Ted Davis Rd.) in Cumberland Co., TN, yesterday. This was
just the 9th record of this longspur for the UCR and just the 2nd for
Cumberland Co., TN. In all, there are only six Regional counties where
this rarish northern sparrow has been observed. As often is the case,
this longspur was found in a flock of Horned Larks foraging in the fields of
the Ag. Station. Most of the Regional records of LALO have resulted from its
association with larks. Congrats to Ed on a nice find, which was
close to but not quite also an all-time Regional early fall arrival date; Ed
will have to settle for having the first sighting for this fall.
A
breeder of the northern boreal forests, the Rusty Blackbird has been
undergoing long-term population decreases, so any and all records of this
handsome blackbird are solicited. Ed LeGrand found four of these
beauties in White Co., TN, Saturday, while he and I were birding there.
Please send along all records of RUBL, and I will maintain an appendix in the
Fall, Winter, and Spring UCR bird reports to collect all the records for each
of those seasons for the foreseeable future.
Two
other nice finds by Ed LeGrand lately were first of fall sightings for Redhead
and Snow Goose; Ed found a male of the former species on Lake Hiawatha,
Cumberland Co., TN, Sunday and one of the latter on Hickory Valley Rd., White
Co., TN, Saturday.
Doug
Downs found a late yellowlegs at the Randolph Pond in White Co., TN, Nov. 7;
it was still there Saturday when Ed and I stopped by for a look; we were able
to determine that it was the more expected in November of the two species of
yellowlegs, the Greater, possibly an injured bird, to judge from the way that
some of its feathers were aligned along one side. Roseanna Denton also
found a Greater Yellowlegs last Sat., when one showed up at Cooley's Pond in
Wayne Co., KY. She also found latish Least Sandpipers in Adair and Wayne
counties, KY, Sat.
Reports
of Sandhill Cranes are picking up with about a dozen now listed in an
appendix to the Fall 2007 UCR Bird Report; please send along all crane
sightings, noting date, time, number seen, flight direction, and location
including county; if you hear a flock but do not see it, please report that
observation as well.
Many
reports of Purple Finch and Pine Siskin are coming in; anyone who can obtain
some nice photos of these species is welcome to send them along. I can use
them for spicing up some of the CBC pages of my website that will be produced
in the next month and a half.
And
speaking of CBCs, dates for five Regional counts are set, but dates for the
remaining four remain undetermined. Hope to know more about them soon.
I'll
be walking in the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve again on Wed., starting at 0700
CST. Drop a line or give a call (931-528-3820) if you want to join me.
Yesterday I walked in the preserve and had my first Brown Creeper there,
bringing the list of species I've recorded there to 72, as part of Project
ParkWatch. Roseanna Denton found a new species for the ParkWatch bird
list at General Burnside Island State Park in Pulaski Co., KY, recently when
she and husband Steve Denton found a Double-crested Cormorant there.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-40 (5
november)
Dear
birdfolk,
The
past week-end provided some gorgeous weather to be out, so I hope you were
able to take advantage of some of it to get in a little birding. I know
some of the Regional birdfolk attended the TOS meeting in Manchester, TN, over
the week-end; from the list of species reported for the meeting dates, it was
a fine week-end to be out and about in that area.
In
the last message I reported on the banding efforts of Mark Monroe in Kentucky
who has banded more Northern Saw-whet Owls this fall than during any previous
fall when he has tried to band that species, suggesting that a major irruption
of this species might be underway. I was able to add a little bit of
evidence supporting that suggestion over the week-end. In DeKalb Co.,
TN, on Sat. I stopped to check on a small road-killed owl, thinking it
would be a gray morph Eastern Screech-Owl, but to my considerable surprise it
turned out to be a NSWO in extremely good condition. Even more to
my surprise, this owl carried an aluminum band on its right tarsus. An
inquiry to the Bird Banding Laboratory in Laurel, MD, revealed that my owl had
been banded in Wisconsin Oct. 24, 2004, more than three years earlier than the
date I found it freshly dead. According to Mark Monroe, about 10,000
NSWOs are banded each year, quite a passel, so let's hope that a passle of
them turn up in the UCR this winter. I've placed a photo of this
road-killed bird at several pages of my website. It was the first record for
DeKalb County; it is the earliest NSWO ever found Regionally during fall; and
it is the only banded individual of this species to turn up around the Region
so far (and possibly the only road-kill found with a band in TN).
Another
big white bird that got away without an i.d. was briefly viewed this past Fri.
Ginger Ensor was outside listening and looking for cranes (see below for
results) at her home in northern Putnam Co., TN, when a large white bird
with black wingtips flew high overhead. Her quick glimpse of the bird
did not allow for an i.d., but it could only have been one of a few species
that meet those specifications. Keep looking up now and again when
you're out; you just never know what you might see up there.
I
spent Saturday moseying around the big lakes of the Tennessee part of the UCR.
Nothing of great moment turned up, but I did see more coots in one day in the
Region than I have ever seen before. After counting what I thought was a
nice bunch of 95 coots at Cane Creek Park, Putnam Co., TN, I journeyed on
to the Floating Mill Recreation Area on Center Hill Lake, DeKalb Co., TN, and
found 400 coots there, making my bunch at CCP seem pretty piddlin'.
However, I then went on to Dale Hollow Lake and found 1000 coots at Lillydale,
Clay Co., greatly surpassing the number at Floating Mill and making me think I
had reached passleness in coots, but I was wrong, because a quick trip
down to Willow Grove on Dale Hollow Lake, also Clay Co., turned up 1500 coots
there, a true passle. However, that number was equaled when I ended the
day fittingly enough at the Sunset Recreation Area, Dale Hollow Lake, Pickett
Co., TN, and counted another passle of 1500 coots there. I'd guess that
a complete count of coots on Dale Hollow Lake that day would have exceeded
10,000. Anyone else have mucho coots over the week-end in the UCR?
Sandhill
Cranes continue to be reported in mainly smallish numbers; Ginger Ensor saw a
flock of 20 and heard two other flocks last Fri., and Annell Fields had a
flock of 10 at Lake Tansi, Cumberland Co., TN, the same day. Please send
along all reports of cranes as you see them; include site, number, flight
direction, date, and time if at all possible.
Christmas
Bird Count dates have been set for five of the Region's nine CBCs:
Cookeville--Dec.15; White County--Dec. 20; Crossville--Dec. 22; DeKalb
County--Dec. 27; and Somerset--Dec. 29. Hope that dates for the counts
in Clay County, TN, Glasgow, KY, Warren County, TN, and Wayne County, KY, can
be set soon.
I
plan to be out in the predicted subfreezing weather Wed. morning for a
birdwalk at the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve; drop a line today or tomorrow,
or call (931-528-3820) by Tues. evening to leave a message about joining me on
Wed. if you want to take part in this event. Last Wed. three of us
(Janie Finch, Ed LeGrand, and me) found 29 species during our walk; four of
the species were ones I had not recorded in the preserve previously, so come
on out and take part.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-39 (30
october)
Dear
birdfolk,
A
"big one that didn't get away" recently was an American White
Pelican found on Barren River Reservoir, Allen/Barren counties, KY, Oct. 25-27
first by Aaron Hulsey and later by David Roemer, who was able to obtain a
photo of this bird, which provided the sixth Regional record and third for
Barren Co., KY. Nice going Aaron, whose birding career is starting on a
really high note, and Dave, who continues to document the birdlife of the
northwestern part of the Region in an extremely accomplished manner.
The
eight-day period from the last BIRDFOLK message (Oct. 22) to this one has
been extremely active bird-wise, partly because it was also fairly active
weather-wise, but also because a lot of Regional birdfolk were out and about
seeking psychological highs induced by seeing and hearing feathered bipeds of
the rare variety. Try it yourself if you haven't already; you'll like
it--promise.
Besides
all the boreal invaders so far sighted in the Region, including Red-breasted
Nuthatches, Purple Finches, and Pine Siskins, another northern irruptive
species might be making its way to our neck of the woods (or might even
already be here). I refer to the Northern Saw-whet Owl, which seems to
be undergoing a fairly major southward irruption this fall, to judge from
banding work by Mark Monroe in northern Kentucky. Mark has already banded more
saw-whets (24) this winter than during any previous winter when he has banded
these owls, so those who need this bird for their life (or other) lists might
want to plan a few night trips into saw-whet habitat this fall and winter.
Playing a tape recording of the "toot" (advertising) call of this
owl is the best way to induce it to call back and possibly to fly into view.
Some sites where saw-whets have been recorded consistently during winter in
the past include the Little Lick area of the Daniel Boone National Forest in
Pulaski Co., KY, and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, in
five Regional counties (one in KY and four in TN).
Sandhill
Cranes are now officially on the Regional docket, so to speak, as southward
migrants in the Region this fall. Hope High in Cookeville, Putnam Co., TN,
recorded the first flock at 1245 CDT yesterday; Ed LeGrand then had 130+ in
Cumberland Co., TN, from 1530 to 1700 CDT yesterday, barely failing to come up
with the first fall sighting. Congrats to Hope and to Ed for being the
first birdfolk to witness the grand spectacle of the southward crane
migration. By the way, the annual crane festival near Hiwassee Refuge
will be held a little earlier than usual, around Jan. 19, this coming winter,
so be sure to plan a free day near that date to go and to see cranes by the
1000s at that site.
So
much has happened in the way of outstanding bird sightings lately that I just
cannot include all of them, so I urge you to visit my website and go to the
pages for Early/Late Dates of Arrival and Departure for Migrant Birds in the
UCR and for the Fall 2007 UCR Bird Report to see what-all has been
reported lately. A link to the bird-page, from whence you can navigate
to those pages, is provided below.
The
fall meeting of the TOS is taking place this coming week-end in the
Manchester, TN, area; if you can take part in this event, you will
undoubtedly have a good time seeing birds and birders in all their glory.
I
plan to do a 2-3 hour walk in the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve tomorrow;
please email me today or call and leave a message tonight (931-528-3820) if
you want to join me.
Good
bird counting, Steve
A
Comment on Early and Late Dates for Migrant Species: Some
misunderstanding about the importance of early and late dates of arrival and
departure for migrant species in the UCR has manifested itself lately, so I
want to try to bring clarity to this issue. Also, some misunderstanding about
my interest in early and late dates seems also to have manifested itself here
and there, and I'd like to clarify that issue as well. So, ahem...., let
me address point 1: Any effort to characterize an avifauna, as I am attempting
to do for the avifauna of the Upper Cumberland Region, must include fairly
rigorous data about the period within the year when each species is
present, and the only way to know that period is to have access to an enormous
amount of data from a fairly long period of time that focuses on the time
each year when species arrive in the Region and when they leave. I am
grateful to all birdfolk who contribute to this effort, which is more than any
one or two people can manage for a region of 26 counties. If you have
participated in my effort to pin down dates of arrival and departure for
migrant species, thanks; if you haven't yet, I hope you will. Now for
point 2: Any effort to characterize a Regional avifauna has to concern itself
with far more than just the arrival and departure dates of migrant species. If
I appear not to be concerning myself with these other matters--such as how
large a population each species has within the Region, when and how often each
species breeds, what food or prey each species requires for survival, and a
myriad of other matters--please rest assured that all of these matters are on
my radar screen and will be attended to as Barb and I move toward completion
of Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region. sjs.
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-38 (22
october)
Dear
birdfolk,
Red-breasted
Nuthatches continue to make news; two Regional counties--Cumberland, KY, and
Monroe, KY--for which I did not have records before this fall are now "in
the fold." Roseanna Denton recorded this nuthatch during her birding by
horse-drawn wagon expedition in Monroe Co., KY, Sep. 22, and I obtained a
record for Cumberland Co., KY, this past Saturday while hiking in Dale
Hollow Lake State Resort Park. These records reduce to five the Regional
counties that are embarrassingly without a record of RBNU: Adair, Metcalfe,
and Wayne, KY, and Bledsoe and Macon, TN. RBNUs have certainly been
present in all five counties many times in the past, and there have probably
even been observers who sighted them therein, but so far the results of such
sightings have not been made public, so the search goes on for the first
record of this nuthatch in each of those five counties.
Laura
Kamperman offered an important bit of advice to those who would try to induce
RBNUs to stay at their feeders until the CBC season, now just 53 days away.
She recommends putting out peanut butter where the nuthatches can find it.
Laura's recommendation is a good one, but I would offer a small wrinkle on it:
mix your peanut butter with a base (like cornmeal) that makes it less sticky
than the raw stuff out of the jar or can; in that way birds' beaks will not be
temporarily locked shut by the sticky peanut butter, as sometimes happens if
one puts out peanut butter unmixed with other material.
Tom
Durbin did a little birding in Barren Co., KY, last Saturday, finding a Stilt
Sandpiper in Barren River Lake State Resort Park. Tom's record is the
first for Barren County, as well as the latest this fall in the UCR and
the latest ever in the Region during fall. Many thanks to Tom for
posting his sighting on the BirdKy listserv, where I noticed it yesterday.
Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds are now scarce, so please send along any records you have from
now on, so that we can get an idea about where and for how long they linger
this fall. The latest I have heard about is one at Carol Williams'
feeders in DeKalb Co., TN, Oct. 20.
I
plan to visit the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve in Putnam Co., TN, for a
birdwalk this Wed. morning a little after 0700 CDT; if you wish to join me for
this birdwalk, please drop a line and let me know of your intentions; also be
sure to be at the meeting place a little before 0700 to ensure that you don't
miss me on my way there. The meeting place is the parking lot of the old
HOJO in the southwest corner of the intersection of Rt. 70N and I-40 (exit
290).
My
Saturdays in November are currently fairly free, so I'd be glad to work out
some bird trips with anyone in the Region who'd like to spend half a day or
all day birding. Drop a line if you'd like to do that. Also, in
early December I'd be glad to spend time with anyone wishing to take part in a
CBC by going to the territory he/she plans to cover and seeing what we
can find during a scouting trip.
Good
bird counting, Steve
A
comment on ALPHA CODES: Most birdfolk are by now used to my
occasional use of alpha codes--capitalized, four-letter abbreviations for
birds--when referring to various species, such as the RBNU referred to in
each of the first two paragraphs above. Alpha codes are used to
save time by some field workers when they are engaged in some data-gathering
tasks in the field, and they are also used to save space in some electronic
data-storing programs, so they are worth getting familiar with by all who
would rise to the level of being a birder rather than remaining a
birdwatcher, birdfancier, birdlover, or birdwhateverer. A small but
sometimes frustrating issue relating to alpha codes is the fact that some
species have two or more variations of the alpha code associated with them,
each derived from a separate source, such as a bird-related agency (Bird
Banding Lab or Partners in Flight); these variations (i.e., ECDO and EUCD
for Eurasian Collared-Dove) can cause a little confusion, but really not too
much for those who remain focused on important issues rather than locked
onto piddly stuff to complain about. So get used to alpha codes
and try to become familiar with them as you progress up the birding ladder.
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-37 (16
october)
Dear
birdfolk,
While
birding in that very birdy county, Barren County, KY, Dave Roemer flushed up
and photographed in flight an American Bittern Oct. 8, providing the first
record I am aware of for that county and just the 18th record Regionally;
there are now 10 Regional counties with records of this rarish bittern, whose
continental population is on the wane. Given the droughty conditions
with which we have been afflicted during 2007, I was not expecting any bittern
records to be made around the Region this fall, so Dave's record is especially
welcome, for that reason and for its being one of few Regional records
supported by a photo (and the only Regional photo of a bittern in flight). Dave
also found a Sora and two Marsh Wrens that day, the former and one of
the latter being noted at the same site where the bittern was photographed
(the Dry Creek Unit of Barren River Reservoir WMA); these were the first
Marsh Wrens of the fall to be noted around the Region and were the first ever
to be reported in Barren Co., KY, that have come to my attention.
Roseanna
Denton also found a Marsh Wren recently; hers came from the Casey Creek area
of Adair Co., KY, just one day following Dave Roemer's Marsh Wren in Barren
County. Casey Creek offered up a number of other interesting records
that day, including a Black-crowned Night-Heron, the latest so far to be
reported around the Region this fall.
Most
Common Nighthawks tend to move out of the Region by mid-September, but there
often remain a few nighthawks that linger into October or even November.
So far this fall the last report of nighthawk comes from Barren Co., KY, where
Linda Craiger had one Oct. 14. Anyone else now seeing this
caprimulgid, which likes to linger at sites where night lighting attracts
flying insects?
We
are now at the point where the Regional population of Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds has dwindled down to the proverbial precious few. A small
number of this hummer species seems always to linger into late Oct. or even
early Nov., so keep those feeders up and keep watch for your LOS (last of
season) hummer. Western hummers are now likely to be showing up at
feeders also; Stan Hood in Putnam Co., TN, believes he might have such a
hummer at his feeders, which have been some of the most productive of winter
hummer records of any feeders kept up during winter around the
entire Region in the past. Is the probable Rufous in Van Buren Co., TN, still
being seen?
"A
big one that got away" was sighted over City Lake in Putnam Co., TN, recently.
Barb Stedman was keeping watch over feeders in her yard one morning when she
happened to notice an "airplane" high overhead; putting her bins on
this plane revealed it to be a huge white bird with black wingtips, but the
angle at which it was very briefly seen and the high altitude at which it
was gliding made i.d. of this bird uncertain. It was most likely an
American White Pelican, a rarity in the Region with only five records--but two
of those records derive from late Oct. Other i.d. candidates that
are much less likely than the unlikely pelican include Wood Stork and Whooping
Crane. Sadly, we'll never know what this big one was, but it does draw
attention to the fact that we should always be scanning the skies when we are
birding, no matter what kind of birding we are doing. Indeed, one of the
signs of the birder, as opposed to a birdwatcher and other person not yet
in the birding fold, is the habit of regularly scanning the sky for critters
of the avian kind. Is this one of your birding habits?
Tomorrow's
birdwalk at the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve will begin at 0700 CDT at the old
HOJO in the southwest corner of the intersection of Rt. 70N and I-40 (exit
290); if it is raining at that time, the birdwalk will be switched to some
other site where birding from cars is possible. Please email me today or
call tonight (931-528-3820) if you plan to make this trip; so far I have
received word from two birdfolk (Janie Finch and Nancy Layzer) who plan to be
there and from one other (Judy Fuson) who might.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-36 (9
october)
Dear
birdfolk,
About
the most exciting bird news lately came from Frozen Head State Natural Area in
Morgan Co., TN, where Michael Hodge found, heard, and photographed a Common
Raven last Saturday. Only a few Regional sightings of this
expanding corvid have taken place in the past decade; one of these records
also derived from Morgan County during spring 2000, while some records were
made in extreme southeastern Scott Co., TN, during the summers of 2004 and
2005. In the early decades of the 20th Century (and presumably in
centuries prior to that) ravens were very probable residents in several
Regional counties, including McCreary and Pulaski counties, KY, and Fentress
Co., TN. Congrats to Michael on his nice find; let's hope that
breeding evidence for raven will be found one year soon in the Region.
You may access one of the photos that Michael took of his raven via a
link in the Fall 2007 UCR Bird Report, as well as at several other pages of
the website.
Somewhere
in the Region someone has probably taken photos of Peregrine Falcons, but
until last Friday none of these photos, if they exist, was available to me, so
I am happy to report that Roseanna Denton captured a nice photo of an adult
Peregrine that she found along Casey Creek, Adair Co., KY, last Friday.
Unless an earlier Peregrine photo surfaces one day, Roseanna's photo will
stand as the first of its kind in the Region. I have posted her photo at
several pages of my website in the event that you might like to have a gander
at it.
The
Fall BirdBlitz in Clinton Co., KY, last Saturday was a reasonable success.
About 90 species were found by six observers working in four parties; 10 of
the 90 species were ones for which I had no previous record in Clinton County,
so it was a successful count just from that standpoint, but it was also a
success in allowing us a "window" through which to view the
avifauna of a Regional county where little field work on birds has taken place
in the past. Results of this bird survey should be posted at my website
within a week. Many thanks to Roseanna Denton, Doug Downs, Arlene
Morton, Tom Saya, and Winston Walden for joining me last Saturday.
I've
recently posted the final results of the Fall Bird Count in White Co., TN.
Many thanks to compiler Doug Downs for putting all the data together and for
sharing it with me; also thanks to the other folks who took part in
that event, the fourth of its kind in White County: Nancy Layzer, Ed LeGrand,
Anita Mast, Joseph Mast, Michael O'Rourke, Barb Stedman, and Winston Walden.
Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks continue to be reported from a large number of sites where birdfolk
have put up feeders. Like the RBGR migration last spring in the Region,
the one this fall has been little short of spectacular. I've received a
number of photos of this species at feeders; in particular, Nancy Layzer was
able to snap a photo of two Rose-breasts at a feeder which was surrounded
by blooming roses whose color closely matched the rosy breast on the male
grosbeak. Nice.
Red-breasted
Nuthatches continue to be reported around the Region in modest numbers.
Eleven were counted during the White County FBC and at least two more turned
up on the Clinton Co., KY, BirdBlitz. If you have any influence with
those who control the workings of the Regional birdlife, please see what you
can do to keep some of these nuthatches around until the Christmas Bird
Count season is completed.
I'll
be starting the Wednesday birdwalk in the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve a half
hour early tomorrow; please show up at the meeting site (parking lot of the
old HOJO in the southwest corner of the intersection of Rt. 70N and I-40) at
6:30 A.M., and please email me today if you plan to show up tomorrow.
Thanks
to Linda Craiger for sending along the results of a birdwalk that she
conducted in Barren River Lake State Resort Park in Barren Co., KY, last
Thursday. Lots of Black-throated Green Warblers were one of the features
of that birdwalk.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-35 (2
october)
Dear
birdfolk,
My
request for "martin counters" (i.e., persons willing to count
hundreds of specks on a photo) turned up a fair number of birdfolk who
offered some time for this small task. I received 7 counts, ranging from
785 to 884, making 835 or so the average. If the martin photo depicts
about 10% of the flock present at Lillydale on Aug. 25 (but there is no
way to confirm this percentage, and it might be off by quite a bit), then the
entire flock present on that date would have been about 8350 birds, quite a
passle; even larger numbers of martins were estimated to have been present at
that site in the days before Aug. 25. Many thanks to all birdfolk who
took time to make counts from the photo at my website.
Another White
County Fall Bird Count was successfully conducted this past Saturday; about
111 species were detected around that birdy county by 9 field observers.
Among all those species was Red-breasted Nuthatch, represented by at
least 10 individuals, further indicating that an irruption event is now taking
place in the Region. Let's hope some of these nuthatches remain in the
Region to be counted during the Christmas Bird Counts that will take
place during December 2007 and January 2008. Another noteworthy result
of the White County FBC involved the total of 27 Eastern Screech-Owls counted,
with many of these being detected during daylight hours when they responded to
tape playback of the screech-owl tremolo. I am not immediately aware of
any Regional bird count that has resulted in as many as 27 EASOs, so
that figure may represent an all-time Regional high count, but it is one that
can still be exceeded if enough folks on a future FBC get out during hours of
darkness to count owls and if they also become sensitive to the soft version
of this species' call given in response to a tape recording during daylight.
In sum, the latest of the Regional FBCs was quite a good one--and remember
that there is still one more fall count to come. It will be held this
Saturday in Clinton Co., KY, where there has probably never been an organized
bird count of any kind ever conducted, so why not get in on a little Regional
history by taking part?
Last
Sunday Ed LeGrand encountered an Empidonax flycatcher on his property
in Cumberland Co., TN, and he was able to hear this individual singing a
"song," repeated "che-beks," which is definitive
for Least Flycatcher; this bird stayed around and was heard in the same
area giving its (less definitive) "whit" call yesterday,
making it the latest departing LEFL in Regional history. Thanks to Ed
for sharing this nice record and also for archiving it in the eBird database.
Early
arrival dates for transient species are getting harder to come by each day as
we get deeper into the fall, but early arrival dates for winter resident
species are now beginning to pick up quite a bit; please share any you
acquire. Late departure dates for summer residents and transients are
also increasing as we get deeper into fall; hope you can share some of those
as well. Remember that there is a page of my website devoted to listing
these kinds of temporal data; hope you can offer a few early or late dates of
arrival or departure for migrants in your neck of the woods.
There
will be a birdwalk to the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve in Putnam Co., TN,
tomorrow morning; meet at 7:00 A.M. at the parking lot for the old HOJO
(southwest corner of the intersection of Rt. 70N and I-40), from whence we
will carpool to the lower parking area for the MONP; we'll walk from there,
going uphill slowly for part of the birdwalk. Last week I was able to
count 28 species at the preserve, my best one-day count among 7 trips to the
site which I have now made.
Good
bird counting, Steve
A
Natural Moment: 0630 CDT 28 September 2007 in my driveway on
Lakeland Dr. near City Lake, Putnam County, Tennessee.
I
am standing next to my garage listening to bird calls early on this
cool, foggy morning. Routine call notes from cardinals, nuthatches,
Carolina Wrens, Blue Jays, and a few other species impinge on my internal
bird monitor, but I do not pay them much attention other than to note their
presence so their alpha codes can later be jotted down on the page for
September 28 in the 365-page book that I keep each year for
bird records in my yard. Besides the call notes of these permanent
resident species, I also hear the distinctive call of a fairly common
transient species, a Swainson's Thrush that has been hanging around the
patch of pokeberry near the garage; its call sounds like a water droplet
falling softly into a pool of water--"quoit." Then two less
expected but identical call notes almost simultaneously reach my ears
from different directions, one from the western boundary of the yard and the
other from the lakeshore to the south. The caller to the west is close,
maybe 20 meters away, while the southern caller is farther off,
maybe 40 meters away. Their somewhat raspy/husky, bisyllabic
calls--"quee-a"--are characteristic of a close relative of the
Swainson's Thrush, the Gray-cheeked, for which I have far fewer records in
my yard than for Swainson's, so I am happy to hear these uncommon
transients. Something--perhaps the morning's cool, foggy
conditions that must vaguely imitate weather conditions in
the northern and/or high elevation breeding grounds of Gray-cheeks--causes
the Gray-cheek that has been calling off to the west to change its
vocalizing, because suddenly it begins uttering, ever so softly, portions
of its "wiry"-sounding song, a vocalization that I have almost
never heard in my yard, even during the many spring seasons that have passed
since I moved into this house. For reasons that I will never know,
this thrush differs from almost all other Gray-cheeks I have encountered in
my yard in its decision to sing, ever more loudly and completely, its
distinctive thrushy song. For several minutes it melodically
"soliloquizes" despite the facts that it is hundreds of miles from
its breeding site and that it is removed by more than a month from its
breeding season. Perhaps the Gray-cheek down by the lake is a female
and this song is a last, probably pathetic, effort to establish a pairbond?
Or perhaps that lakeside Gray-cheek is another male, and this bout of song
is designed to keep it at a distance? I'll never know, but I do know
that I am enjoying this far northern version of thrushsong and that I will
remember it well as fall changes into winter and birdsongs are reduced to a
precious few.
a
precious few.
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-34 (23
september)
Dear
birdfolk,
The
first of the Regional fall bird surveys was conducted in Putnam Co., TN, Sep.
15 with some nice results. Twenty-one observers, including 17 field
observers and 4 feeder/yard watchers, counted 6078 individuals of 124 species
(a record total), including four species--American Wigeon, Sedge Wren, Swamp
Sparrow, and Baltimore Oriole--not hitherto recorded on a Fall Bird Count in
Putnam County. Five species--Eastern Screech-Owl, Ruby-throated
Hummingbird, Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, and American
Goldfinch--were counted in all-time high numbers for Putnam County (and the
high count for Pileated Woodpecker was tied); and five species--American
Wigeon, American Black Duck, Northern Harrier, Yellow-rumped Warbler, and
Swamp Sparrow--were recorded on a record early fall arrival date in Putnam
County (and the early fall arrival dates for Ruby-crowned Kinglet and
Gray-cheeked Thrush were tied). All in all, the latest version of the
Putnam County FBC was a great success; many thanks to all who took part,
especially those birdfolk who live outside of Putnam County (including Bo
Magnusson, Joseph Mast, Rebecca Schapansky, DJ Stanley, and Patricia
Westerfield from Cumberland County, TN; Judy Fuson, Michael Hawkins, and Carol
Williams from DeKalb County, TN; and Douglas Downs from White County, TN).
My
request for a photo to be posted with the Putnam County FBC led to the
submission of a moderately large number of entries. I've selected a nice
shot of a Tufted Titmouse by Janie Finch and placed it at that page of my
website--
--so
have a look at Janie's photo and at the results of the count when you get a
chance.
Carol
Williams also sent along a nice photo of a Red-breasted Nuthatch at one
of her feeders in DeKalb Co., TN, Sep. 21, and I have posted this shot at
the page of my website that shows the collective fall bird survey data for
2007; there is a link to this page from the page that is accessible by
clicking on the link above.
Speaking
of Red-breasted Nuthatches, quite a few have been reported around
the Region, beginning with the first Regional report in Pulaski Co., KY, Sep.
9 by Roseanna Denton. Linda Craiger then reported one in Barren Co., KY,
Sep. 14; four were counted by three parties on the Putnam Co. FBC Sep. 15; one
was noted in Bledsoe Co., TN, Sep. 17 by Dana Girard; one (noted above) was
photographed in DeKalb Co. Sep. 21 by Carol Williams. Anyone else
getting this nice bird, which appears to be coming south in large numbers in
response to a general failure of the pine cone crop in Canada this year?
We are perhaps seeing the beginnings of a major irruption event by this
nuthatch, the first to take place in the UCR since the winter of 2001-2002.
You may view a table of CBC data that shows this species' recent irruption
"pattern" via a link in the first paragraph of its species
account:
If
you have an interest in the history of the Bewick's Wren in the Upper
Cumberland Region, you may wish to have a look at the recently initiated
species account I've prepared for it:
I
think it would be valuable to add a link to a page with a complete list of all
Regional sightings of Bewick's Wren from 1970 on, so if you have any such
records, please send them along.
The
first birdwalk of the fall in Putnam Co., TN, was conducted this past
Wednesday at the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve; three of us counted 19 species
of birds, mainly heard, and 2 species of butterflies, including a Little
Yellow, which I had not seen before at this site. After running the
10-mile, one-way shuttle so we could do all our walking downhill, we
decided that doing a four-mile, one-way shuttle and doing some leisurely
climbing would be a better way to conduct this birdwalk, so if you take part
in one of these birdwalks in the future, be prepared for some slow uphill
climbing as a part of this venture. The next birdwalk will be held
Wednesday, Sep. 26; meet at the parking lot for the old HOJO in the southwest
corner of the intersection of I-40 (exit 290) and Rt. 70N at 7:00 A.M.
Roseanna
Denton reports on a novel way of birding that is available in the Amish
community of Monroe Co., KY: birding from a horse-drawn wagon. This
opportunity is available from Nathan Beecher, who guides you, while you sit on
cushy seats, to birding sites in that community; he also provides a nice
meal at the end of the birding part of the event. Contact Roseanna (roseanna@newwavecomm.net)
or Terry Campbell (Terry_Campbell@fws.gov)
if you are interested in this form of birding, which Roseanna recommends.
The
White County FBC will take place this coming Sat., Sep. 29; contact
Doug Downs (Douglas_Downs@hotmail.com)
if you want to take part. The final bird survey of the fall will be held
in Clinton Co., KY, Oct. 6; let me know if you wish to take part in that
event.
Dates
for several UCR Christmas Bird Counts are already set: Dec.
15--Cookeville; Dec. 22--Crossville; and Dec. 27--DeKalb Co. If you
compile such a count in the UCR, it's about time to start thinking on this
matter, so drop a line and let me know your date when you get it settled.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-33 (11
september)
Dear
birdfolk,
Ain't
birds grand! This sentiment--or some not-so-homespun version of it--is
central to the thinking of most persons who have been captured by the urge to
seek and to study birds. I'm always thankful that so many persons out
there share my passion for these creatures, and I am especially grateful when
their passion for birds leads them to "capture" these creatures with
fine photographs. A couple of
recent rarities were captured in this way by two Regional birders who have a
long history of photo documentation: Dave Roemer obtained a really nice photo
of a flying Sanderling in Barren Co., KY, Sep. 5, just the 6th
Regional record of this windbird; and Roseanna Denton took a fine photo of a
Ruddy Turnstone in Adair Co., KY, Sep. 4, just the 3rd Regional record of this
species. Each of these photos is available via links at the page of my
website devoted to Fall 2007 UCR Bird Sightings; have a look at their
photographic work, and whenever you can, please join Dave and Roseanna in
efforts to capture images of the Region's birdlife.
My
recent request for sightings of Common Nighthawks led to a number of reports;
the high count, so far, was submitted by Roseanna Denton, who counted a passle
of 170+ CONIs in Pulaski Co., KY, Aug. 30. No other report topped the
century mark.
A
couple of Regional birders joined Ed LeGrand (Cumberland Co., TN) in
reporting Golden-winged Warblers lately. Joseph Mast had an immature or
female Sep. 5 near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, and Marty McKnight had an
adult male in Pleasant Hill, also Cumberland Co., TN, Sep. 6. Wonder why
Cumberland Co., TN, so far has a monopoly on reports of this rare and lovely
warbler? Anyone else seeing it?
No
reports of migrant Cerulean Warblers have emanated from the UCR this fall and,
if not made soon, such reports will probably not be made at all, given the
early departing tendency of this species. About its absence from
Regional birding lists this fall, some folks might think it don't make no
nevermind nohow, to put a homespun spin (a homespin?) on the issue, but it
does matter because the species' absence on such lists probably reflects its
continuing diminishment as a breeder in and migrant through the Region.
My
cold--and cold medication--continues to keep me in a strong grip, so I
have not been overly active in seeking either birds or butterflies for the
past week; hope to be up and about for the fall bird count in Putnam Co., TN,
this Saturday. Remember that there will also be counts in White Co., TN,
Sep. 29 and in Clinton Co., KY, Oct. 6; drop a line to Doug Downs (White) or
me (Clinton) if interested in one or the other count.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-32 (4
september)
Dear
birdfolk,
Being
a little more under the weather than usual, I must make this message a little
shorter than usual; my apologies if you find less here than you'd like.
My
recently acquired cold has caused me to cancel tomorrow's Wednesday morning
birdwalk at the Merle Osborn Nature Preserve. I hope to be well enough
Sep. 12 to begin Wed. morning birdwalks then. Please plan to meet at
7:00 A.M. Sep. 12 at the parking lot for the old HOJO (current vacant
restaurant near the Alpine Inn in the southwest corner of the intersection of
Rt. 70N and I-40 [exit 290]).
Plans
for the Sep. 15 Putnam County Fall Bird Count have been distributed. If
you did not get a message today about that event and if you wish to take part
in it, please email me pronto with an expression of interest, and I will do
what I can to make sure you are included in the festivities.
This
past Sunday I visited Bledsoe Co., TN, to check out the ponds there for
shorebirds and found no shorebirds except Killdeer, but while engaged in
that pursuit, I did find a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher on Upper East Valley Rd.
about 1.3 mi south of where that road intersects Ninemile Crossroad; the site
where I located this bird was about 2 straight-line miles from the site where
this species nested for the past several years on Ninemile Crossroad.
Scissor-tails might stay around that area and other areas of Bledsoe Co. until
Oct., if the late fall date for the Region (Oct. 20) is any indication of when
this fine flycatcher is likely to depart for the winter.
Swainson's
Thrushes seem to have arrived a bit earlier than usual in small
numbers in areas just outside the Upper Cumberland Region; some late August
sightings took place here and there around TN. The first for the UCR
appeared at Mt. Zion, Pulaski Co., KY, yesterday, setting a new early fall
arrival date for that county for that species.
Good
bird counting, Steve
Whimsical
declaration: It was recently brought to my attention that I have
misspelled the word "passel" in a recent message or two.
Being only moderately studious of correctness when sending out email
messages (since such messages are well known by most folk--including most
birdfolk--to belong to an informal medium), I was not unduly surprised
by this misspelling, but its being called to my attention did engender some thoughtfulness
on my part about the kind of terminology that ought to be applied to
large numbers of birds (and other critters) found within the Upper
Cumberland Region. It appears to me, and I suppose I could
be wrong about this but I hope not, that the UCR deserves its own special
term for large numbers of birds (and other critters), so that when this
special term is used, everyone in the know will immediately understand from
whence the large number came. Consequently, I hereby declare that
henceforward all large groups of birds (and other critters) observed within
the confines of the 26-county UCR will be referred to as "passles,"
to distinguish them from the pedestrian version of passels that occurs
elsewhere on our small planet. Although this declaration may offend
the linguistic sensibilities of the more anally retentive among us, it
should not give cause for anguish to the large part of the Regional birding
population that is not (yet at least) overly exacting in the linguistic
standards that it expects from its emailing citizenry. [You never know
what cold medication might do to your
thought process!]
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-31 (28
august)
Dear
birdfolk,
Besides
the albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird found in Barren Co., KY, in late July and
the possible Rufous Hummingbird found in Van Buren Co., TN, in mid-August,
there was another hummer event that I should have mentioned in my last
message--the finding of a nest of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird in White
Co., TN, during mid-August by Sharon Brines. I mention this item because
Wally Brines was able to obtain a photo of the empty hummer nest, and this
photo reveals the size of the nest extremely well because Wally placed a
dime inside the nest (it barely fit) before he took the photo. You can
see his photo of the amazingly tiny hummer nest via a link in the Fall
2007 UCR Bird Report. Thanks to Sharon for finding the nest and to Wally for
obtaining a photo of it.
Back
in July, Gary Gilpatrick obtained some photos of a Black-crowned Night-Heron
along the Obey River near Celina, Clay Co., TN; he shared the photos with
Terry Campbell, who in turn shared them with me, and I mentioned this nice
record in the Summer 2007 UCR Bird Report. Just this past Saturday
Terry was able to obtain photos of two adult Black-crowns near the
same site, and he reports that a juvenile Black-crown may also be present
there. I have placed a link to one of his photos in the Fall
2007 UCR Bird Report. Not to be outdone, Roseanna Denton, who had
earlier been seeing 1 to 3 Black-crowns along the Green River in Adair Co.,
KY, returned to that site yesterday and counted 8 Black-crowns there,
including 3 adults, 4 juveniles, and 1 night-heron was may have been
a second-summer individual (i.e., not an adult, but in the advanced stages of
being an immature). It would appear that each of these sites, and some
others around the Region, may have hosted nesting Black-crowns during the past
breeding season; it would be nice to have a nest--or even a small
rookery--located next year in order to further confirm the breeding of this
species in the UCR.
The lowering of the water level in
Lake Cumberland (KY) has left a lot of formerly good shorebird habitat
along Fishing Creek in Pulaski Co. high, dry, thickly vegetated, and mostly
incapable of supporting shorebirds and other waterbirds. To replace this much
altered shorebird site in her birding itinerary, Roseanna Denton has been
visiting parts of the Green River and Green River Lake in Adair Co., KY,
where shorebird habitat remains available, and she has been finding some nice
shorebirds as a result, including a Stilt Sandpiper there last week-end, just
the 18th record for the Region. Great Egrets, Little Blue Heron, as well
as the above-mentioned Black-crowns, have also turned up at this site lately.
Thanks to Roseanna and other birders in that part of the UCR for their
efforts to find shorebird and wader habitat and to monitor it regularly.
Ed LeGrand, who will take up
permanent residence in Cumberland Co., TN, in mid-September, observed and
reported (via eBird) a Golden-winged Warbler at his new home in that county
last week-end. The Golden-wing is a rare enough migrant (and breeder) in
our Region that all records of its occurrence should be archived each spring,
summer, and fall, so thanks to Ed for submitting his record (and archiving it
in eBird); hope many more UCR birders encounter this wonderful warbler this
fall and submit reports about it.
I've about completed the work of
presenting and analyzing the data from the White County Foray of 2007 (and
1982); you may access the raw data and a set of 200 maps via links at this
page of the website:
If you are into maps showing the
distribution of bird species within a single county, this assemblage of
maps provides the current piece de resistance for the UCR.
I'd be grateful to anyone who can examine the White County Foray maps and data
with a discriminating eye and provide insight gained from that examination; it
will assist Doug Downs and me as we prepare a summary of the results for
publication.
UCR Fall Bird Counts for
2007 are now set: Sep. 15--Putnam Co., TN; Sep. 29--White Co., TN; and Oct.
6--Clinton Co., KY. Contact me if interested in the first and third of
those enterprises; contact Doug Downs (douglas_downs@hotmail.com)
if interested in the second. Feeder/Yard watchers are especially
encouraged to contact me for the Putnam County FBC if you live anywhere within
the county; just an hour of your time counting the birds in your yard is all I
am asking (well, I am also asking you to turn in your results,
a task of 5 minutes or so in addition to your hour in the yard).
Wednesday morning birdwalks in
Putnam Co., TN, will resume Sep. 5 with a short hike in the Merle Osborn
Nature Preserve; meet at the parking lot for the old Bella Vista Restaurant
(and formerly the parking lot for a number of previous restaurants including
the only HOJO ever to occur in Putnam County) at the intersection of Rt. 70N
and I-40 at 7:00 A.M. on Sep. 5; we'll carpool and set up a shuttle so we can
do all (or at least most) of our walking downhill. Should take 1-2
hours.
Good bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-30 (20
august)
Dear
birdfolk,
Some
interesting items relating to hummingbirds arrived lately. In late July
an albino Ruby-throated Hummingbird was photographed (and videotaped) in
Temple Hill, Barren Co., KY, by Glenda Boston. As far as I can see from
photos of the bird, one of which is available via a link in the Summer 2007
UCR Bird Report, this individual was a pure albino. If anyone out there
knows the genetic likelihood for albinos in hummingbirds or birds in general,
please share, as I do not know this info, but it must be out there somewhere.
Also of great interest was a hummer thought to be a Rufous Hummingbird seen at
a feeder in Van Buren Co., TN, at a site where a female Rufous Hummingbird
spent the entire winter of 2006-2007; Jacquie Wagner reported this bird Aug.
17; it would provide a new early fall arrival date for that species in
the UCR if the i.d. of the hummer can be verified. Stay tuned for more info on
this one. Hummer numbers are increasing at most feeding stations these
days, partly as a result of the typical late summer build-up of birds that
occurs each year but probably also as a result of the fairly widespread dry
conditions that the Region is experiencing. Wally Brines reports that he
and Sharon are putting out more than a gallon of sugar water per day at their
home in northern White Co., TN; this would translate into 300+ hummers using
their feeders. Some authorities claim, based on banding operations, that
the hummingbirds found at most feeding stations in the Southeast during August
and September are one-day wonders--i.e., most birds seen one day at feeders
are gone the next day but have been replaced by newly arriving birds, making
it seem as if a constant number of the same birds is present.
The
great Purple Martin roost at Lillydale on Dale Hollow Lake, Clay Co., TN,
reached its peak during the first couple of weeks of August. Thurman
Seber of Liberty, DeKalb Co., TN, visited the site about that time and
estimated that the number of birds in the roost was 40,000; others have
estimated far higher numbers. Whatever the correct figure, it was a
considerable passel--to place a scientifically accurate label on it--and
probably represented a record concentration of this species for the Region. The
roost was so large that it showed up well on weather radar during early
morning and late evening; the roost also received notice in the press,
with articles about it appearing in The Tennessean (Nashville) and The
Herald-Citizen (Cookeville) at least; anyone knowing of articles in other
newspapers please share.
Early
fall migrants continue to trickle in. Roseanna Denton observed the
first Pectoral Sandpiper reported this fall at Clifty Pond in Pulaski
Co., KY, Aug. 13, and she had two Blackburnian Warblers near there Aug. 19.
Robbie
Hassler had a singing Chuck-will's-widow near Byrdstown in Pickett Co., TN,
Aug. 17, one of the latest fall singers of this nightjar reported in recent
years and possibly the latest singer known for the UCR. Anyone else
still hearing this species?
I
recently summarized the birdwalk and field trip situation as I know it to be
the case for the Region this fall. In response to that message, Linda
Craiger in Glasgow, Barren Co., KY, noted that she will be leading a birdwalk
at Weldon Park in Glasgow Sep. 13, so if you live in that part of the Region,
take advantage of Linda's event. Anyone else know of other such events
around the Region?
The
Fall Bird Count/BirdBlitz situation has not changed since I last sent out a
message (2 weeks ago--had to make a trip to Florida in the interim).
Besides the usual FBC in Putnam Co., TN, Sep. 15 (please drop a line if you
can take part in this event, now in its eighth year of operation), it
would be nice to schedule a couple of other counts for the following two
week-ends, mostly so that those folks who need a seasonal bird count fix will
be able to get one in before the long count-drought leading up to
the Christmas Bird Count season starts. There may be a FBC in White Co.,
TN, but a count in one of the Region's little-birded counties would also be
nice to set up. Any suggestions?
Good
bird counting, Steve
Subject: birdfolk message 2007-29 (7
august)
Dear
birdfolk,
Birding
activity wanes considerably during the dog days of late summer, but bird
activity generally does not, so if you are able to force yourself into the
field these days, some nice birds are out there waiting for someone to i.d.
them. Never was this better illustrated than this past week-end when
Roseanna Denton found a Tennessee Warbler in her yard in
Science Hill, Pulaski Co., KY, along with some other non-breeders, indicating
an early migration movement; the Tennessee was the earliest fall-arriving
individual of its species ever for Pulaski Co., KY. During that same
week-end, Susan and Mac McWhirter also noticed some migration movement,
including a very early Wilson's Warbler at their farm in
Warren Co., TN. The lesson here is to get out early during any hot day,
even if just in your own yard, and you may find a wonderful bird that will
make some otherwise heat- and humidity-oppressed August day a
memorable one.
Long-legged
waders continue to turn up here and there around the Region. Single
Great Egrets were reported in White and Warren counties, TN, recently by Doug
Downs (Aug. 1) and Susan McWhirter (Aug. 5), respectively.
Joseph
Mast reports that the last of six nestling Barn Owls in the box he put up
last spring near Mayland, Cumberland Co., TN, became a fledgling by
leaving the box Aug. 1, and Susan McWhirter reports that she and Mac released
two rehabilitated Barn Owls at their farm in Warren Co., TN, Aug. 3, adding to
the local Barn Owl population. These owls had been rehabilitated
in Memphis, TN, by Knox Martin at a raptor rehab facility. Any other
Barn Owl news out there?
Susan
Ford keeps fit by riding a bicycle around southern Putnam and northern White
counties, TN; her route often takes her through areas where Grasshopper
Sparrows breed. She recently sent word that the number of GRSPs she has
encountered during the past couple of weeks has been much greater than the
number she was encountering previously this summer and she wonders if some
recent rainfall in her area has spurred the sparrows to sing more and thus to
be more noticeable. This is certainly possible, but it is also likely
that the second nesting cycle of this species was also taking place at the
time that she noticed an increase in the number of singing GRSPs along her
bike route. Connie Neeley also reported a singing Grasshopper Sparrow
recently (Aug. 5), this one at a site--Valley Oak Industrial Park on Rt. 461,
Pulaski Co., KY--where she has not recorded this species previously.
The
Summer 2007 UCR Bird Report needs any records you have not yet submitted for
June and July 2007; have a look at the report (available via a link at the
birdpage of my website--see below) and see if you can add anything to it.
Since
the last message went out, no new info has developed regarding the fall bird
counts and fall birdblitzes for 2007. There will be a FBC in Putnam Co.
Sep. 15, but that's the extent of the Regional FBC situation as
of today. There is likely to be a FBC in White Co., TN, too, but it would
be nice to have a fall birdblitz to a county that has little bird data
available. I'm willing to consider any reasonable possibility, so get out your
map and make a suggestion for such an event.
It's
my pleasure to report on a future birding event way on down the birding
timeline. Carol Williams has agreed to help set up and to
co-compile a foray in DeKalb County during June 2008; it will be like
the foray in White County that was held this past May. So if you are
into breeding bird field work, you will be able to get in a good fix of this
sort of field work next June in DeKalb Co. Many thanks to Carol for
taking on this important task. She's looking for field workers, and
she's thinking the third week-end in June may be the best time to arrange this
event. More info coming later.
Good
bird counting, Steve